Alan Johnson served in the Royal Navy from 1943 to 1947. The son of a professional Manchester city footballer he was enlisted as an Able Seaman on the Minesweeper HMS Onyx. In his expansive interview he talks in detail about his life onboard and the work he was involved in. He describes the mine clearing procedure in depth and the particular threats the ship faced day and night. The Onyx operated both in the Balkan seas on the Russian convoys and in the English Channel during the Normandy invasion. Alan shares entertaining memories from them all.

Alex talks about the first strict days of his Naval training at the shore station of HMS Ganges in Ipswich, and the even stricter regime that followed at Chatham Barracks, recalling the general attitude amongst his peers of ‘just getting on with’ whatever they had to do. His first draft as an ordinary seaman was to HMS Savage, a brand-new ship which he was one of the first to board. Unfortunately for Alex, as soon as he left the shore for the very first time, he was laid low by seasickness which took a fortnight to get over and left him temporarily unable to care if the ship sank or sailed! Alex shares stories from his time on the Russian convoys and the unimaginable hardships the crews endured. He also details close contact with the SS Penelope Barker, as well as Savage’s heroic role in the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst: an amazing account made even more incredible when he remembers the moment the Savage turned her guns in the wrong direction… A charming, generous and funny man, Alex’s story is that of a young sailor at sea determined to do his bit, regardless of the dangers and fears he encountered along the way.

Eric Conway joined the Royal Navy at the young age of 16, starting his service on the very day World War II broke out. He served as a Leading Telegraphist, specialising in communications and coding. Eric's submarine experience was primarily on U-class submarines, known for their small size and challenging conditions. He was involved in several significant events during the war, including the tragic PQ17 convoy, where his submarine was part of a screen protecting merchant ships from German U-boats. Eric witnessed the devastating aftermath of the convoy's scattering, resulting in the loss of numerous ships. He also had close encounters with German U-boats, including one instance where his submarine fired a torpedo and engaged in a gun battle with a U-boat. Eric's wartime experiences took a toll on his mental health, leading to a period of hospitalisation and a change in his service category. Despite the hardships he faced, he completed his service and carried the memories and impact of the war with him throughout his life.